Push rod tube seal replacement Options

[whitey]

I want to replace my push rod tube seals without removing the heads. Do I twist and pull the tubes with pliers? Also, my engine is out of the car and I'm reinstalling the injection, re-sealing and doing a engine clean up...My compression was good at 130 psi with no smoking. I don't really want to pull the heads and cylinders but do you see any real advantage to doing this, (ie. honing the cylinders and removing carbon).

Thanks for your response

[r_towle]

I have had pretty good results with a normal sized pair of vice grips.

Clip onto the target push rod tube as close to the case as possible, with the vice grips nearly horizontal, and just lever the tube off the case.
It will pop...remove the vice grips, do the seal and push it back in.

When you use the vice grips, you can easily crush the tube...its very thin walled..so be gentle, yet you need just enough grip to hold on.

I would be willing to bet that the Capn uses some cool channel lock pliers with blue handles...my favorite tool, and he taught my why they are designed that way...bet they are always in his back pocket...

Rich